This morning, I offered a toddler version of my “Do-Re-Mi ABC” program that I’ve been enjoying with kindergarten students this year. At our local store that sells tots’ clothing and other fun kids’ stuff, I did a sing-along workshop for parents and children about how to have fun singing while building early literacy skills.
We talked not only about enjoying musical basics such as singing and tapping a regular beat, but sounding out letter sounds and building small motor skills through finger plays. We talked about singing favorite songs often, so that children learn them and feel comfortable vocalizing. Here are some activities/songs on my agenda for the morning:
Goal: Provide a sampling of music/movement activities that parents and children can do together in order to share the joy of music and develop building blocks of language & literacy
Emphasis on:
- Language development
- Vocalizing/singing
- Music skills development, such as keeping a steady beat and fast & slow tempos
- Physical – fine & gross motor skills development
- Social-emotional skill development
The Songs:
- Hello song!
- Name Song – Hello, Name (to Goodnight ladies)
- Banana song (on my album Once Upon a Tune)
- The Wheels on the Bus – a song that most young children learn to sing and move to
- Itsy Bitsy Spider – common nursery rhymes involve small motor skill development
- Finger Family – more small motor skills
- Horsie, Don’t You Stop – keep a steady beat with my horse’s clip-clop!
- The Muffin Man – letter sounds, classic song – tried and true
- Little Red Caboose – slow & fast, steady beat, vocalizing (woo-woo!), using shakers & tambourine
- Chugga-Chugga Ding Ding – steady beat, shakers & tambourine (on my CD, Make It a Song, Song, Song)
- Two Little Robins – rhymes, letter sounds, vocabulary – use of simple visuals (on my CD, Once Upon a Tune)
- This Little Light of Mine or other upbeat song – songs from our culture
- The Lion Sleeps Tonight – shakers (on my CD, Make It a Song, Song, Song)
We calmed down with Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and a good-bye song. We also found time to do THE ANTELOPE DANCE! Fun morning!
I will be back at the Wild Child store for another “workshop” on Friday, July 17, at 10:30. Be sure to contact owner Erica Walker to sign up at join us.